as in criminal
not restrained by or under the control of legal authority
some sociologists specialize in studying the lawbreaking elements of society
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
1
as in crime
a breaking of a moral or legal code
even something as simple as littering is considered an example of lawbreaking
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in criminality
activities that are in violation of the laws of the state
an outbreak of lawbreaking plagued the city in the months following the end of the war
Synonyms & Similar Words
Example Sentences
Recent Examples of Synonyms for lawbreaking
Adjective
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Karen Read’s attorneys are taking an approach of highlighting inconsistencies in the testimony of witnesses involved in the case, according to Sydney Rushing, a criminal defense attorney based in Michigan offering analysis on TikTok.—
Michael Loria,
USA Today,
25 Apr. 2025 -
The Jones Road wildfire, now partially contained, has also led to criminal charges against a local teenager accused of starting the blaze.—
Thomas G. Moukawsher,
MSNBC Newsweek,
24 Apr. 2025
Noun
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To conceal his crimes, Hemphill, who is also a lawyer, threatened to have the women arrested or killed by falsely claiming to have vast resources and connections to police and organized crime, prosecutors said.—
Louis Casiano,
FOXNews.com,
25 Apr. 2025
-
First, crimes like the Holocaust require a series of conditions.—
Robert Williams,
Time,
24 Apr. 2025
Noun
-
Police also told the site that Trachtenberg died of natural causes and that criminality was not suspected in her death.—
Lea Veloso,
StyleCaster,
17 Apr. 2025
-
At the time of her death, police said criminality was not suspected.—
Kierra Frazier,
CBS News,
16 Apr. 2025
Adjective
-
Lesser powers that find themselves under the dominion of a great power against their wishes can be resentful and rebellious.—
Margaret MacMillan,
The Atlantic,
30 Apr. 2025
-
In 1978, an ambitious and rebellious young woman, Marina Bulgari, decamped from her family business to branch out with her own jewelry brand.—
Roxanne Robinson,
Forbes.com,
24 Apr. 2025
Adjective
-
Louisville police say anything that goes into the air or explodes is illegal for average citizens.—
James Bruggers,
The Courier-Journal,
5 July 2017
-
Official fireworks shows took place over the city, and illegal pyrotechnics lit up the sky everywhere in between.—
Lisa Beebe,
Los Angeles Magazine,
5 July 2017
Noun
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The firm sued, calling the order a violation of the Constitution's First Amendment protections against government abridgment of speech and Fifth Amendment guarantee of due process - a requirement for the government to use a fair legal process.—
Mike Scarcella and David Thomas,
USA Today,
3 May 2025
-
Under South Korean law, anyone who receives a fine exceeding 1 million won ($683) for election law violations is barred from seeking office for five years.—
Hyung-Jin Kim,
Los Angeles Times,
1 May 2025
Adjective
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The proximity, combined with the abundance of recreational boats, makes illicit travel hard to detect, Brown explained.—
Sarah Rumpf-Whitten,
FOXNews.com,
22 Apr. 2025
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Psilocybin use in 2023 among adults was higher than estimates for cocaine, illicit opioid use, methamphetamine or LSD (lysergic acid diethylamide), the study found.—
Sandee LaMotte,
CNN Money,
21 Apr. 2025
Noun
-
She’s just heard her lover’s sins — the new and plunging depths of betrayal.—
Amanda Whiting,
Vulture,
29 Apr. 2025
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Jesus told the woman to leave her life of sin and walk in a new life of holiness.—
Chris Roemer,
Baltimore Sun,
18 Apr. 2025
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Cite this Entry
“Lawbreaking.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/lawbreaking. Accessed 7 May. 2025.
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